More than 2,6 tonnes of cocaine intercepted in the Atlantic during an international operation

A large-scale anti-drug operation off the coast of Portugal has resulted in the seizure of more than 2,6 tons of cocaine, the Italian Guardia di Finanza announced. The shipment, estimated to be worth nearly €500 million on the street, was discovered aboard a speedboat intercepted approximately 90 kilometers southwest of Cape Espichel, near Lisbon.

Four people were arrested during the operation: two Spanish nationals, an Albanian, and a man from Gibraltar. The operation resulted from an investigation conducted by Italian authorities with the support of the Portuguese maritime police, further illustrating European cooperation in the fight against international drug trafficking networks.

"Sea taxis" in the crosshairs of investigators

According to investigators, criminal organizations are increasingly using ultra-fast boats, known as "go-fasts," capable of reaching speeds of over 70 knots (approximately 130 km/h). These boats serve as "sea taxis": they pick up drug shipments in the open sea, previously dropped by mother ships from South America, before transporting them to European shores.

Authorities believe this method complicates interceptions due to the speed of these vessels and the discreet nature of the transshipment operations. This latest seizure confirms that the Atlantic remains one of the main routes for cocaine to reach Europe, where police forces are stepping up operations to dismantle international drug trafficking networks.